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Texas Travel Summit 2015 - Awards Announcements

TTIA'S ANNUAL AWARDS

HERITAGE, LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT, TALL IN TEXAS, AND RISING STAR

All Awards will be presented on Tuesday evening, September 22nd during the TTIA Awards Gala Presented by Madden Media, 7:15pm-9:15pm, at Texas Travel Summit. Make sure you join us in honoring this year's recipients!

TTIA Heritage Award

On Tuesday, September 22nd at the30th Annual Texas Travel Summit, TTIA - on behalf of the Board of Directors and our membership - will present the TTIA Heritage Award to SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Joel Manby, President
& CEO, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment will accept the award that evening.

The TTIA Heritage Awardrecognizes
and honors outstanding businesses and organizations that have enriched the
heritage of and made a lasting, positive imprint on the Texas travel industry
by demonstrating a history of exceptional achievement, exemplary business
practices, innovative corporate culture, and/or a commitment of excellence to
their customers and their community. Additionally, theTTIA Heritage Awardrecognizes all of the recipient’s employees because our Board firmly believes
the dedication and teamwork of all employees makes an organization successful.

This year's recipient, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, is more commonly known for family entertainment, but, they also have an extraordinary commitment to animal care, conservation, rescue and research that has advanced the well-being of animals in the parks as well as in the wild. SeaWorld offers educational programs that allow visitors to learn about these animals and get up close and personal with them. They have inspired generations of children to be better stewards of our world.

The 2015 Lifetime Achievement Awardwill be presented to David Dunham, Publisher, Texas Monthly Magazine. The Lifetime Achievement Award honors an individual
who has dedicated his or her life to the betterment of Texas travel and tourism
through a body of work over many years, and whose dedication has made a lasting
and important contribution to the industry.

Throughout his time with Texas Monthly, David has been a
champion for our industry. Since joining the magazine in 1979 and now as publisher,
he has led the quintessentially Texas publication in positively portraying
travel and tourism in the state to the 2.7 million readers Texas
Monthly garners each month. David has been an integral part of TTIA and the Texas travel industry for more
than 25 years. During his tenure as chair of TTIA's Legislative Affairs Committee, he was instrumental in many legislative successes, including passage of the Uniform
School Start Date law, continued full funding for state tourism promotion and
many other important issues which our industry has faced over these past many
years. David was honored by TTIA in 2005 with the Tall in Texas Award and
received the Distinguished Service Award from the City of Austin in 1991.

Tall in Texas Award

The 2015 Tall in Texas Awardwill be presented to Terri Adams, Chief Operating Officer, Schlitterbahn Waterparks & Resorts. The
Tall in Texas Award is presented to an individual nominated from the membership for
their outstanding contributions to travel and tourism and to TTIA. The Tall in Texas Award honors an
industry professional whose commitment to and influence upon travel and tourism
has changed the face of the industry on a local, regional or state-wide level.

Terri Adams has led Schlitterbahn from one small waterpark in New Braunfels into the recognized industry leader. She has been a dynamic force on the growth of travel in Texas and on the growth of Schlitterbahn, taking the company from one to five properties in two states including two resorts, two
indoor waterparks, and five outdoor waterparks with 3,000 staff during peak operations. She has taken on both travel and political issues that impact the climate for the entire industry. Terri sits on a number of boards across the state and has held
the position of Chair of TTIA's Board of Directors.

Rising Star Award

The 2015 Rising Star Awardwill be presented to Holli Conley, CTE, Assistant Vice President of Marketing, Visit
Tyler. The Rising Star Award, sponsored by Southwest Airlines, is presented to a young professional (under 35 years of age) in the Texas travel industry who has shown a commitment to the travel industry, has demonstrated leadership qualities and has contributed significantly to their organization and the industry.

Holli exemplifies the qualities of a Rising Star. As one
colleague told us, "Holli doesn't just view this as another job, but instead, she
clearly understands the industry, and she is devoted to making it her life
occupation. She embodies a passion for Texas tourism, regional collaboration
and leadership, and the continual pursuit of excellence that has made her a
rising star in East Texas tourism." During her time with the convention &
visitors bureaus in Conroe, Bryan-College Station and Tyler, she has been instrumental in increasing the success of the tourism marketing for these destinations. Her ability to oversee challenging projects is well known, and she is
frequently called upon as a valuable resource by her peers.

All TTIA Awards will be presented during the 30th Annual Texas Travel Summit Awards Gala Presented by Madden Media on Tuesday, September 22nd. We encourage all Summit attendees to attend this special event.